Want an E30 touring? Go sign this petition

[brutus87]

E30 tourings would be cool.

[Roysneon]

I don't want everyone's overpriced, possibly illegal cars. If I'm going to spend 15k on a car I have to settle on because it's already in the US, I'll go get my own thanks.

wut? Are you saying that you'd rather be able to bring in a car you choose from overseas than to try to find one already brought over?

[glucklich21]

I don't want everyone's overpriced, possibly illegal cars. If I'm going to spend 15k on a car I have to settle on because it's already in the US, I'll go get my own thanks.

[Roysneon]

I was warned not to "leave" my car in the US when I drove it across the border on vacation last summer. Customs guy probably only noticed because it was RHD.

[ColdAccord]

3 e30 tourings have sold in the states on this forum in the past year. you haven't been looking hard enough...

[glucklich21]

I don't get the signage of this petition. Can someone explain it to me?

Importing these cars would be expensive, wouldn't it? I've never looked into it, so if someone could explain it to me, that'd be great.

Mr. Bill Caswell asked something similar today on Facebook. This is what I responded with:

Sorry Bill I work nights, I was sleeping when you responded and more apologies for this being so long.

My biggest problem with the current importation laws is I can not import any car of my choosing for my personal use unless it meets DOT/EPA regulations 100%. That would be fine if the regulations weren't so restrictive.

This petition is extremely vague and really doesn't address much of anything, I'll give you that. That being said, it is still better than nothing and may get the ball rolling for a more precise initiative.


It was most likely created by someone familiar with the Skyline fiasco (I believe this what they are referencing by seizing of cars in the first part). I'm somewhat neutral on that subject, but in light of the latest developments related to that story, I can see where it seems like a bit of waste of resources.

For the second part,

I think the best solution would be for the US to recognize ECE standards for automobiles. The rest of the world recognizes and/or uses them. We are one of 3? (don't quote me on this) countries in the whole world that do not. Since we know the US will never recognize the ECE regulations because it could possibly effect US automakers, the petitioner (and myself) think a 15 year rule would be better, same as Canada. How is a 15 year old car (even a 25 yr old car allowed currently) going to effect the market, environment, and safety of the US?

A 15 year old car isn't a threat to new car sales. Emissions? What 15 year old car do you know still passes with its exhaust system it left the factory with 15 years ago, let alone people modifying their cars and skewing their pollution data (looking at you diesel bro trucks). Safety still shouldn't be a concern. This is my personal car, not mass amount being imported and sold to the general public, so I'm not worried about how it performs in a crash. I will almost guarantee that it would do better than the same period sized American car in the same accident. ECE standard seat belts and restraints are just as good as DOT seat belts. Baby seat anchors where introduced at the same time in ECE and NTHSA regulations. We both know US bumpers have nothing to do with safety, just insurance company lobbying. Lighting could be a concern in terms of markers, I have no objection to that. But headlights and tail lights (at least in a BMW's case) are better than what was allowed in the US at the time. Projector headlamps come standard on Hyundais nowadays! Tires shouldn't be an issue, but I can understand that after the Firestone recall.


I've looked into getting an E30 touring. So I'll give an example of my frustration that I'm familiar with as I contacted a local importer about getting one legal here.



The only way I could get one here is either swap the vins with a junker going to the yard (very illegal) or have it federalized. This is where my main concerns come in. I cannot perform the federalization despite being capable of retrofitting everything required excluding testing. It HAS to be done by a company, not an individual. This makes it very cost prohibitive. In addition, I have to put up a bond for the car's purchase price (2K), a DOT bond of 1.5x the cost of the car (1.3K), and 2.5% tax for customs ($50). That's around 5k before it even sees the company doing the federalization. Paying all of that before hand doesn't even mean that the NTHSA will allow it to be imported. (Luckily 1991 325i's are eligible, so this wouldn't be a problem for me.) Paper work takes at least 4 months to process.

Once at the company that is performing the federalization, they will strip the car down and begin testing the door panels for crash resistance and determining the need for reinforcement. I have to buy new doors for those will have been damaged. The next step is for the same thing happen to the bumpers. (They will say these are the same as US spec E30s, so no replacement necessary, just reference them)

My European spec projector lights will be removed to install crappy sealed beams to match US spec 91 E30s. (Possibly ruining some of the wiring in the process)

Tail lights replaced (my rear fog lights would be disabled to match 91YM)

Markers and running lights will have to be installed and have the possibility of messing up the harness again.

Modifying and testing the cluster

Install US spec seat belts

Affix all the dummy safety labels, seat belt buzzers, etc


Then there's emissions. Instead of going by a set standard of what a car of my size should produce in emissions or even factory specs, I have to install the US spec exhaust and then have it tested to make sure it complies with that year model. (I could get the brand new exhaust system from BMWNA and I would still have to do this)

Tires will have to be replaced



After all of this has been done it's documented and sent off to NTHSA for evaluation. This doesn't guarantee that it will be allowed for registration, NTHSA gives the final word. If it isn't, I have 30 days for it to leave the country or it will be repossessed and crushed. I would have paid the importer around 7k for their services and parts by this point. (Around 10k and I haven't even started restoring and modifying it yet!)



Thanks your signature, -J.T. ;)

[T3rd Ferguson]

Signed...

also i agree it will never reach 25,000

[ColdAccord]

tourings aren't that dangerous to own. Mine went into a wall at mosport and it got a new quarter from a sedan

[Mercury[BKM]]

evo III would be nice too

[DrJosh]

We can if we get to a lot of the forums. Start reposting people.

[Kershaw]

signed. but man.. it's not going to hit 25k signatures in a month.

[mikejungle]

I don't get the signage of this petition. Can someone explain it to me?

Importing these cars would be expensive, wouldn't it? I've never looked into it, so if someone could explain it to me, that'd be great.

[MikeDE]

The European models are all stripped down base models. It's like the shell of an e30 with the amenities of a Geo.

A touring might be cool, but the premium on them right now is ridiculous.

I have seen 3 in the past week that I could have picked up for about €500/ea. And what does it matter if they have roll down windows, a clock instead of a tacho or even an auto trans?? You're(I mean E30 peeps) gonna mod them like hell anyway. So long as the chassis is 'usable' for the average enthusiast(I don't mean people with resources like Vlad). The only thing tricky may be finding Touring-specific parts like non-rusty tailgates & everything attached to them, interior items like cargo area cladding and the split-folding rear seats. They have a 63l(almost 16gal) gas tank also. The rest is the same old stuff.

I can find iX Touring's also, but these do in fact command a premium. But it's well worth it.

[Wh33lhop]

I'll sign that shit even though petitions really don't get anything done.

Check out the whitehouse's response to the mary jane legalization petition on that very site.

[trackjunkie21]

Always wanted an evo VI.